I will be playing the JP version tomorrow; downloading as I type this. Yeah 3 weeks is too long to wait and not have something accidentally spoiled. And the internet be the internet you know. Got to go into a new Souls game blind.

Though it is weird this game did not get a worldwide release like Bloodborne, and a few days before Japan. Hell even Dark Souls II was the same deal. I don't know the story this time. Considering the series is not that big, my understanding, in Japan comparatively. Something is a bit messed up because Namco letting top Twitch streamers play and stream the game at the same time as JP release tomorrow. So yeeaaaaah. I know the game is self published by From Software in Japan, but it just weird that its almost like they know they fucked up somewhere, and trying to save face by letting a few people play the US version early. Good marketing I guess?

Okay 22 hours in, 6 bosses killed. My god this game is truly takes all the best parts from all the Souls games. This part I am at now is straight out a throwback of one of the best areas from Demon's Souls (Sorry if this is a spoiler). Also hardest Souls game imo. Seriously after 4 previous games in the series I thought there is no way to surprise me. But man it does at every corner. Bosses are fucking hardest in the series mechanically so far I think. However, it seems they have balanced it by giving the boss way less compared to previous games. So you get really awesome hard mechanics on bosses, but less health on them, so its not "I know how to beat this boss, but it has a lot of health or I don't do enough damage, so I die from eventually making a mistake." It makes the boss fights feel tighter. I know that once I learn not to get hit by the bullshit, I can win and move on quickly.

I know everyone has their own opinion which is the hardest Souls game, but just for reference here is mine hardest to easiest:

1. Dark Souls III -both areas and bosses are insane, some may think early bosses are too easy due to very little health, but mechanics can but nuts. Oh healing is limited to only Estus Flask or miracles and rarely divine blessings (like Dark Souls) no Grass(DeS), Humanity(DS), Lifegems(DSII), Blood Vials(BB). And you start out with limited quantity and have to find shards to get more like Dark Souls II. Aggressive enemies like BloodBorne. Lastly, not many ways to cheese that I can figure out like previous games.

2. BloodBorne - most areas were hard for me, bosses are mostly easy except a couple and the dlc. Aggressive enemies take getting used to.

3. Dark Souls II - hard at the start because you have limited Estus Flask. Also throws lots and lots of enemies at you. Pre nerf Shrine of Amana was insane. Thought overall the bosses were harder than Dark Souls even though they sucked design-wise.

4. Dark Souls - My first Souls game. It is kind of hard to rank this one because so much of the difficulty I experienced was due to being unfamiliar with the series. But I think it ranks 4th. Beat most hard things by cheesing, which was easy to figure out. Once I understood the game and got the controls down did not have much trouble.

5. Demon's Souls - Breezed through. I remember cheesing a lot of the bosses. Very few areas gave me trouble.

Excellent game so far. Makes Dark Souls II look like hot vomit for a Souls game. Though it takes the best parts from that one, and what I liked best about Dark Souls II; things I thought was better than what was done in Dark Souls I. I've been trying to find something I don't like (which I could with Dark Souls II and Bloodborne at the same point in the game) and can't think of anything, even after 22 hours. Soundtrack I think is the best in the series. Overall this game is the complete package from all the games in the series.